Duck Lake
by Draqonelle
Summary: The History of the Yahzuniichuan, a parody of Swan Lake starring Kuno and Mousse
1. Default Chapter

Duck Lake

For the memory of humanity, the story of the Yaazu-niichuuan is a simple one. A duck drowned there 1300 years ago. Drowning tragically and ironically, in a pond no less. A duck; a creature of water, born swimming in the watery embrace of the pond and stream. The Yazhu-chuan is indeed a beautiful place. It is a still and beautiful pond, the edges of it slippery with brilliant moss and it has some of the freshest water of the springs. This is the story of the Yazhu-chaun. 

Once upon a time there was a king with two children: a son and a daughter. When they were of a decent age, four, he set off to the foreign kingdom of Hawaii. He never returned to the realm, leaving the kingdom in chaos, till the young prince, Kuno, became a man and king of the realm. 

In his stead the Lord Tendo rose to power and ultimately he and his entire family were advisors to the young crown prince. Even the King's grand vizier, Nabiki, was one of his daughters. 

The Prince was a handsome if talkative young man, who excelled above all in the art of sword craft. He also had a predilection for fine poetry. He had many admirers (though much less than the proud young prince imagined, and less of them being female than he imagined as well.) It was approaching the eve of his 17th birthday*1. The prince had the desire to go hunting. (Of course hunting was usually a double entendre for getting nekkid in the woods with a bunch of girls and having a good excuse to sneak off, but Kuno was a bit oblivious.) 

So his minions, Ryouga the Houndsmaster, and Tsubasa the Falconer and Gosunkugi the creepy guy, were quite bored as their prince looked for something worthy of his interest. 

"What about a stag with a black hide, my lord? Truly that is noble for thee." Ryouga, Master of the Hounds, said. "You could mount it as a trophy." 

"Indeed, but black is a cursed color. I will not hunt anything unlucky." 

"Perhaps a fox with fur as red as blood." Tsubasa, Keeper of the Falcons, said, straightening his beautiful dress. "You could make it into a coat for Princess Kodachi? Or for your Fair Advisor, Nabiki." 

"A fox is a predator. We will not hunt the hunter." 

Gosunkugi smiled. "I have it, let's kill a bunny." The huntsmen looked at him. Gosunkugi had never been right in the head. "We'll smash it with a rock." 

Every animal in the woods, from stoat to hummingbird, was not worthy of his majesty's interest. And his minions were getting tired of hearing that. In fact they were getting tired of the prince in general. 

It was not long before they had found a cabin in the woods. Since the woods were so deep they decided to stop, for they would have to camp out for a long time until the Prince found his prey. 

The door was answered by a beautiful woman. She had long dark hair and wasn't entirely feminine but still striking. She was in the middle of cooking Okonomiyaki for her grandmother. Tsubasa fell over when she answered the door. The beautiful girl welcomed them eagerly into her home, making Okonomiyaki with such flare, even the prince had to admit he enjoyed the simple fare. But Tsubasa was nearly speechless staring at the Okonomiyaki maiden. 

Ukyo, the maid's name, then made a final Okonomiyaki, with the leftover batter. Ryouga was about to grab it when she threw a razor sharp spatula at his hand. 

"That is for Shampoo, guardian spirit of the forest. She does love when we leave her food." 

"What an amusing superstition! To think these folk believe in faeries," Kuno thought to himself. Unfortunately Kuno didn't really have a good sense of what he said and what he thought. In fact he said everything he thought. 

"You are a fool if you do not believe in her power. She watches us now. Be careful what you hunt in the woods, Prince Kuno. For this is a cursed land." 

Ukyo made the prince and his minions wash all the dishes by threat of her spatulas. Of course the prince complained at his being forced to manual labour. The minions and their prince soon fell asleep. Well, the prince did... 

"This is just fabulous. We are stuck here with that loudmouth. I really can't stand this," said the Keeper of the Hounds. 

"Cheer up, maybe tomorrow we'll find something he'll shoot, then we can go back home," Tsubasa said comfortingly. 

"Or we could leave him here at Ucchan's and go back anyway." 

"Yeah. He'd probably get lost…" 

"But leave the Prince with Ukyo. Oh that is horrible. Ukyo is so sweet." Tsubasa got little hearts in his eyes. 

Ukyo scratched her chin. "Unless I came with you." 

Tsubasa said, "That's a good idea." 

The next morning Kuno woke up to find his minions had long since gone ahead. Even the maiden in the cottage had packed up all her possessions and put out the fire. 

"How nice! My minion's have decided to go ahead to flush out the prey. I shall catch up to them on my brave stallion." 

Of course he didn't realize that Tsubasa had borrowed his brave stallion out for a joyride, trying to impress the maid Ukyo. 

Kuno wandered around the woods with his pack on his back, enjoying his time alone in the woods. Finally he heard his horse. He followed the sound. His horse was next to tree, grazing. 

"Noble stallion. Did you run away? Oh well, I have found you. Now we can find something to hunt." 

In the clearing he saw his Falconer Tsubasa and the Maiden Ukyo, but Tsubasa was chasing her. "My dear Ukyo, I would give my entire life of falconry, my position in the Prince's court, my frilly pink dress with the blue bows!" 

"Go away." 

"I would do anything for you, Ukyo!" 

"Good, then you can go away," Ukyo said. 

"Oh Ukyo! I love you. I know I love you…" 

Kuno watched the hapless minion from behind the tree, silently. He was envious of Tsubasa's torment. He had been smitten by the beautiful maiden, so utterly, so quickly. It must be wonderful. 

"That I would be filled with such ardor and passion. Oh, that I could find some fire within myself, not cold dread for my nascent manhood-" 

"Damn, he caught up to us," Ukyo swore. "Stupid prince. Does he have to say everything he thinks?" 

"I hope he isn't mad we tried to ditch him," Ryouga whispered. "Hey, at least you aren't going to be charged with Grand Theft Equine," Tsubasa said. 

Their prince was still reflecting on the emptiness in his life. He plunked down desperately in a patch of grass. "And yet love, most treasured prey of all, is not something to be hunted. That I could find love!" 

Then it happened. He heard the quack of a herd of ducks. They were arriving at these northern climes after months afar, though the snow still lay wet and silver on the March ground over black trees and shoots of green grass. 

He had always seen wood ducks before, in his koi pond at the palace, but these were different. Among the brown and graceful wings splashing upon the pond, another slowly descended without a ripple on the water: a graceful and perfect landing among the clumsy and awkward ducks. 

Kuno stared in awe. This duck was white. Whiter than the silvery snow melting under the trees. Yet his eyes were as luminous as the mud draining into the river to clean springtime water. Eyes that caught silvery beams of beautiful light and devoured them with intelligent comprehension. Kuno almost swore he saw the duck looking back. 

"Look, my Huntsmen, Ryouga, Tsubasa, Gosunkugi!" The three minions looked at the flock. 

"Wow. Is that duck wearing glasses?" Ryouga asked. 

"Hmm." Kuno hummed. At once the strains of a hidden melancholy tune droned through his head. The song of night was in the duck's eyes, he could hear it coursing through him. He had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. 

"Prince Kuno?" Ukyo poked him 

"What?" The melancholy prince sprung to life. 

"Where do you think he got them?" she asked. "I don't know." 

"Maybe he stole them from a beautiful princess. Hmm. I'll bet she'll be grateful to get them back." Ryouga needled him. 

"Aye, mayhap..." Kuno said, shaken by the sight. Ryouga took out his bow. 

"Well, let's go shoot it down." 

"I beg your pardon?" Kuno demanded. 

"Well, you must admit, my prince, it is an interesting target, even for you. A duck with glasses." 

"But…" 

"It's not like it's a swan or anything important. It just looks like some stray duck, probably just escaped from a farm." 

Kuno did not want to appear foolish among commoners. He lifted his crossbow. He took aim at the white duck. His finger itched along the trigger. He closed his eyes. The arrow flew with perfect accuracy towards its target. Kuno winced at the thought of killing something so perfect out of spite. 

The duck leapt into the air and caught the arrow in his bill. The prince stared. Kuno watched the duck break the arrow in half. Its virgin white wings flapped beautifully in the air. Kuno was transfixed. 

"You missed." Tsubasa bowed. "Should I send the falcons after it, my lord?" 

"Yes, I suppose." 

Tsubasa unhooded the violent razor-clawed birds. "Go get the ducks." 

The falcons took flight. 

Their grey wings cutting like knives through the air. The ducks broke out of their proud V to flee the oncoming terror. But the white duck stood his ground, or air, as it was The falcons made it their business to attack the stragglers in the flock. The falcons screeched triumphantly. 

Then the white duck broke out of formation and threw himself upon the falcons. Tsubasa stared as the duck tossed the falcons in the air, kicking them like a martial artist, accept all in the air. The falcons desperately slashed their claws against him, but the duck's speed and skill was too much for them to handle. The falcons screed helplessly, flying back to Tsubasa bruised and defeated. 

"Did you see that? The duck beat up my falcons." Tsubasa petted his bruised birds. The duck quacked defiantly and helped herd his fellows back into a "V". 

"Nonsense. They just didn't find him. A duck wouldn't scare off a falcon," Ryouga said. 

"Well, we will just have to do this the simple way." Gosunkugi took out a rifle, lining the duck in his cross hatch. 

"Hey, wait a second, that's an anachronism," Ukyo bellowed. Gosunkugi was thrown back by the kick of the shotgun and sprawled on the ground. The duck dodged, flying in fast tight patterns. How could the prince's doltish minion dare to scare such a bird away? For there was no doubt in his mind that this was an enchanted bird, this glorious duck. 

"You scared it away with that… fire stick." 

The duck flew in an arc. 

"No I didn't. See, it's coming back. What a stupid bird. Doesn't it realize we are going to kill it?" The duck made his wide circle in the air. Kuno looked up at it. He stared deeper. If he didn't know better, the duck seemed to have eyebrows. And those eyebrows were furrowed in rage. 

He was startled. "My word. I do believe we didst vex this fowl." 

"It's only a duck." 

"His eyebrows are furrowed in rage." 

"Ducks don't have eyebrows," Tsubasa said. "Most animals don't." 

"It's only a duck. I mean, what could it…" 

The duck descended from the sky, somehow dropping a smoke bomb. Prince Kuno coughed and his eyes teared up. He looked through the mist but saw nothing. 

"Ryouga? Tsubasa? Gosunkugi? Miss Ukyo?" 

"Ow. How dare he? TSUBASA! Let go of me." Ryouga snarled. "The duck bit me. When I get my hands on you… Ow…" 

Somehow the white duck was attacking Ryouga. "This duck is a warrior," Kuno said. 

"No duck is gonna embarrass me." 

"Ouch. Tsubasa, you hentai, the duck pinched my butt." 

"Yes rigth the duck." 

"Ouch! Stupid duck!" Ukyo said. 

"But that was," Tsubasa whispered. "What did you say?" 

"I-" 

"You cross-dressing freak!" The smoke cleared. 

Ryouga was lying on the ground and had a black eye, or at least an ink ring around his eye. Ukyo had a thousand purple ribbons tied in her hair and Tsubasa had the first five letters of the English alphabet on his face. Ukyo was strangling Tsubasa. 

"That duck may be our rival. Now we must fight it. We will defeat it. I must capture this wonderful animal." 

The duck quacked in a loud mocking tone. 

"Stupid DUCK!" Ryouga howled. The Lost Boy growled and ran after it. All of a sudden a huge net swept Ryouga up. He screamed. 

"How did he get a net?" The duck quacked and chuckled and flew away. 

The other huntsmen began to help Ryouga get out of the net. Ukyo grabbed a spatula. 

"You guys are the royal hunstmen? It's only one duck." Ukyo looked at the enraged and frustrated boys trying to get Ryouga out of the duck's net. She curtseyed. "Your majesty, may I try getting the duck?" 

"Well I…yes go ahead." Ukyo flung her spatula in the air. The duck wasn't looking. The metal cut into his leg and bruised his wing. His glasses fell off. 

"Ooh, lucky shot," Ukyo said. "The *evil* duck wasn't looking." 

Kuno smiled. "Well done, my fair young maiden. I shall award thee in gold. Ryouga, send forth the hounds to retrieve our canny prey." 

"Oh yeah. Checkers, Backgamon, Parchesi, Shogi, Chess, Monopoly, Fred!" A herd of black and white dogs appeared. "Get the duck, girls." 

Kuno sighed, regretful that the duck was dead. "Never have I seen such canny and indomitable prey. Such a hunt I will never forget." 

***

The duck managed not to crash into the earth. He knew he shouldn't have been so cocky. He was out of bombs for sure. And if these men had dogs, they would find him soon. Would have thought a spatula-wielding maiden would be his death? He tried to find his glasses as quickly as possible. All at once the duck couldn't see. He tumbled into a hole. The dogs swarmed around it. 

In the tree appeared a strange cat. It moved so silently yet the dogs looked up to it. The cat sat meowing strangely 

"Mow ssss. Mreuiw sss." 

The dogs looked up at the cat fearfully. Their attention was split between their injured prey and the cat in the tree. The dogs ran fearfully back to their master. The purple cat smiled. 

***

Tsubasa laughed as the dog returned with their tails between their legs. "The duck beat up your dogs?" Tsubasa said in a sing song mocking tone. 

"No. They are. What's wrong girls?" The dogs whimpered and cuddled. 

Gosunkugi shook his head "This duck is cursed." 

"I can't believe this. We are the greatest huntsmen in the kingdom and we can't stop one duck?" Ryouga said. 

"Look boys. I don't know how to break this to, but you lost. The duck defeated the falcons, the bows, the guns, which was an anachronism by the way. Go-chan and it frightened the dogs. Don't tempt this creature anymore." 

"I will not be beaten by a duck." Ryouga said, throwing his pack down onto the ground. 

"Mayhaps Ryouga thou art taking this a bit too seriously?" Kuno said shyly. "My Prince I must get my honor back."The young hound master stood in the center of the woods "SHI SHI HODOKAN." 

Kuno jumped onto the ground tackling Ukyo just in time. The huge blazing fireball evaporated the trees sending smoke and fire everywhere. Kuno brushed the layer of dust and debris off his robes. Ryouga stood there blackened and panting." 

The duck moved. Trying to pull it self up and waddle away. Ryouga chased after it. 

Then all of a sudden the cat returned into the woods. "Hey moron. Do I go blow up you home Lost boy? Maybe I should." Kuno swore the cat said that. 

"Bad hunter go away! No hunt in her woods." In the tree the cat jumped down. Ryouga gasped, for from such a height the tiny thing would break her neck. A gorgeous slim faery creature landed on both feet. Her hair was violet in two long odenki pig tails. She was clad in an impenetrable morning fog which soon changed to blue and green silk. 

"That looks like Shampoo the spirit of The forest." Ukyo said "I Shampoo. Bad hunters no blow up Shampoo forest." 

The huntsmen fell to their faces at the creature. Even the prince kneeled. "Stupid Mans prince. Think I no real." 

She looked at Ukyo. "Hey Spatula girl. You make Shampoo food. You can stay." 

"I swear I will never harm another animal or chop down another tree Shampoo." 

Shampoo pet her "Good womans. Shampoo so happy." The faery turned to the others. Lightning struck behind her. 

"Baka. No hurt Mumu-chan or I no help you anymore. Get lost before too late and he…" 

All of a sudden the woods quaked. 

"Oh no too late." Shampoo shrugged. 

"It is only two o'clock in the afternoon." Ryouga said. 

"Who disturbs my woods?" A black owl on cloud like wings of quiet darkness. If the duck's flight was beautiful and uplifting, then this owl's flight was indeed terrible. 

"Too late. Stupid Mans." 

"Shampoo. I hear some mortal is making a disturbance in our forest." 

"My forest." Shampoo said strongly, "You just old mans. Not live forever. 

The owl chuckled he flapped his wings. He opened his wings and his bird form vanished. In its place was a figure clad in a night blue cape and a turban with antennae. He was a young man, with a one long pigtail. He chuckled. 

"He no bother your side of lake. I punish." She was as dangerously beautiful as the owl-boy. But she seemed genuinely unnatural. Unlike the black haired boy, he possessed a beauty that was all to believable and attainable. Blue sapphire eyes and a wicked smirk. 

"But you have no say. These people attacked what was mine. Mousse is mine." "I punish Hunstmans, Baka. This wood is Shampoo" The wizard looked at the huntsman. 

"Well I won't have you hunting what is mine." The wizard turned his head. "All are punished." 

"Listen Buddy these woods are…" Tsubasa said The wizard touched him.The huntsman began to quiver. 

"No fair-" His feet had turned to stone. 

Gosunkugi tried to run, but the wizard grabbed him and he turned into stone. The Two huntsman frozen for eternity in fear. 

"And as for you." Kuno drew his blade, but the wizard walked past him and addressed the dogs 

"I think I have it." The Wizard smiled unwholesomely. The dogs whimpered in fear. They started scratching. They started twitching. There cries became more human. Soon their fur was gone. Soon their beautiful muzzles began to shrink. They became humans. 

The dogs or humans wailed. "We're cursed cursed. We have to be human." The fearful cursed dogs ran naked to the local witch to remove this most vile of all curses. 

"My poor dogs. You sick fiend! It was all my fault I-" 

"Silence!" the wizard pointed at him and he froze into stone "Darn I wanted that to last longer." 

Kuno and and the brave Ukyo stood their ground, waiting for the wizard to attack 

"And as for you." 

"I will-" Kuno said trying to draw on the wizard. The wizard shoved him aside. "You are one hot babe. What say you and me go out on a date?" 

Ukyo glowered "You changed my friends into stone and then ask me to go out on a date with you. Who do you think you are?" 

The wizard stood up and laughed. "I know who I am, cutie." He chucked her chin. He pointed and the sound of lightning filled the air "I am Ranma-bart Saotome the Great. The greatest sorceror in the World." 

He glomped Ukyo. "So where would you like to go on our date." 

"EEK!" she ran off Kuno stood in front of her, protecting her feminine weakness. 

"Ranma-bart. My friends will not go unavenged." He drew his sword. "Stay behind me Ukyo so I might…" 

Ranma-bart glared at him and sent him flying into the lower stratosphere. He landed so hard his head smashed through a log. 

"What? So you can get smacked first?" Ukyo said. 

Ranma-bart pointed his finger at Ukyo. She changed into a beautiful white mouse. 

"Oh well we can talk when you aren't PMSing." He grabbed her and put her in a pouch. Ranma-bart tied the pouch shut and looked at his handywork. 

Without a doubt Ranma was the most powerful warrior or mage in the land. He was nearly undefeatable. Kuno cringed as the wizard approached him smelling his evil. But the young prince's gaze was cold and haughty, and still pretty kawaii. 

"You are a brave and foolish. What is your name?" 

"I am Prince Tatewaki Kuno." 

"The Blue Thunder of Furinken?" Ranma-bart gasped. For even a wizard as vile and powerful as him had heard that name. "Human prince. Go to your people, say as long as they are here they are mine. They belong to Ranma-bart the Wizard." 

"Foul Sorceror. Return so I may-" But Kuno was trapped. The wizard resumed his owl form and flew away. 

A thin stream of light fell on the statue of Ryouga. "I shall avenge the Directionally misguided hound master… my Crossdressing Falconer… my psychotic voodoo practicing Peter Lorre type friend. I shall not rest until this sorceror is dead and I have rescued the maiden Ukyo." 

***

In the woods Kuno came to a clearing. He was hopelessly loss and already the woods was nothing but moonlight and darkness. He tried to follow the patches of moonlight. But there was no path. 

"My word." The Prince swore, hacking away at the branches of trees. When he heard a scuffling noise. He paused. Could it be a bear? Or a wolf? Or maybe a chipmunk? He cringed at that thought. 

He stood in a beam of moonlight. It was a boy. His dark hair fell past his shoulders. He was crawling around on the ground. 

"Are you all right?" The boy had an unearthly quality and looked up at the Prince completely shocked. 

"I know you…" he muttered as if to himself. The boy's expression changed from pain to dread. When Kuno made even one step towards him he jumped back. 

"Can you speak?" Kuno asked him. Perhaps they boy had hit his head and his wits were addled. 

"Get away. I won't let you get me." 

"Why wouldst I want to capture you. I mean thee no harm as my honor as a prince." The boy turned his dark eyes away 

"He doesn't know me…"The boy looked at him. "Yes. I just don't normally talk to people." 

"You're hurt?" 

"It's just a cut. I was fighting of a group of invaders. Someone threw a fireball at me. It's lucky it didn't burn my tail feathers off." The boy said. "Right now I'm resting and looking for my glasses. I can't see very well other wise and I might as well just stay here." 

"My hounds master could probably take lessons from you in getting lost. How are you so far away from home in these woods?" Kuno laughed. 

"I am home. I live in the fortress across the lake." 

"Well I'll help you home." 

"No." The boy said fearfully. His head shook as if it was full of broken seeds. 

"Why? I would not harm you. I swore by the crown." Kuno said. 

"You can't come to my home. You should leave now before he… She can only protect me. She doesn't care about humans like- just leave before he catches you." The boy shook his head frantically 

"Let me tend to your wounds then. I would not have you go to your home in such a state." The boy found his glasses under the leaves. He looked into Kuno's face. 

"You have honest eyes. Strong eyes." 

"But they are not beautiful like yours." They sat trapped in each others gaze, seeing each other for the first time. 

"I am Mousse." 

"I am Kuno." 

Mousse's gaze softened to curiousity. He held out his hand. Mousse's hands were feathery soft, not like a warrior's hands. But that's what he was. He had strength in that young body. Kuno could feel it, perhaps even more skill than his own. He was clad in white robes. Like a groom. He was very handsome as if he were at the cusp of his life, when something truly beautiful could happen. Like falling in love. 

"My master is cruel. He won't like you helping me. He'll take it out on you." 

"You have a master?" Kuno asked. He had not imagine this beautiful boy the slave to someone else's whim. "Yes. I am his as long as I live." Kuno was sobered. 

He knew what it was to be enslaved into a fate for one's life. But he was a prince. This boy was slave. This beautiful creature too afraid to reach out his hand and touch him, now holding his hand like a friend. 

"I am a Prince. I can free you. You would not need to return to your master. I would protect you. And if he defied me I would send the law against him." 

"It wouldn't matter. I'm a Prince too." 

"You are a prince?" 

"Yes. I am a Prince of an old kingdom, maybe older than mankind itself. But I am still a prince." 

"Where are your wounds?" 

"It's just a silly cut. A girl threw a blade at my leg when I wasn't looking. It looked like a kind of kitchen tool." 

"That sounds like some battle." 

"Most hunters give up so easily. They fire a few arrows. But these hunters must have been insane." Mousse looked at the bandage and poked it, as if he had never seen a bandage besides it. 

"Maybe it is better for you that you do not follow me, my bespectacled bishounen. For I am lost here too." 

"Lost. What is lost?" the boy asked him. 

"We don't know where we are, and we can't leave." 

"Lost. That is a strange thing. We are always here." 

"Yes but. I need to get back to my home. To tell everyone what happened to the others." 

"You want to leave the forest now. Well the humans leave on the road. That is why Shampoo likes it. It makes the humans go away." Kuno wasn't listening. "I know every tree in the woods, every leaf. I can find you the road." 

Kuno looked at him. He tested his leg. "Careful you won't hurt…" 

Mousse smiled and sprung up. "That feels much better. Thank you Prince Kuno." 

Kuno smiled "You're welcome." 

"Well just to show you my thanks I can lead you to the road, and you can go where you want to go." 

Kuno stood up "Thank You Mousse." Mousse smiled and began walking. 

It was a good thing that he was wearing white. The boy moved quickly through the woods, thriving in his natural environment, whipping through the trees graceful and soft as mist. He didn't even bend the branches of the trees as he moved through them. Kuno trudged ahead. He followed behind as well as he could. Watching the white form in stripes of darkness and moonlight. And then nothing. 

"Mousse. Where are you?" Kuno tripped over himself. "Kuno. Are you hurt?" "No, friend, just tired. Mayhaps we should stay here until the dawn." 

Mousse's eyes grew, once again that look of dread came over his face. "Oh no. I forgot. How could I- Get up. GET UP! …" 

Mousse grabbed him around his waist. 

Kuno cringed. "How dare you grab me? I am the prince." 

Mousse flared with anger in him for a second. But then they began to warm against each other. The chill of the night that had been in their bones warmed them both. Kuno settled in his arms. Mousse was completely powerless. His hair swept by the breeze coming from the clearing. Then it came like an arrow piercing the moment. 

"We must get you to the road before dawn." 

"Why? It is pointless without any light. I'll never find it." 

"Please Kuno, get up. I can't help you after dawn." Mousse said fearfully. "But…" "Kuno, it will come and…" 

"It's coming any moment. Now I can finally see you in the daylight." Kuno smiled. Mousse looked at him once, touching his face. 

"Goodbye Kuno. Be happy." "Mousse." He turned around to the road 

"Fare well Mousse." 

And no one was behind him." ** 

Kuno returned to the palace, to impart the horrid news to his chancellors. 

Vizier Nabiki scratched her chin. "Maybe it's not as bad as we think?" "Not as bad as we think?" 

The poor statue stood as the birds perched on it. 

"The sorceror turned our bravest huntsmen into stone, without even breaking a sweat. And he dispatched our prince without..." 

Kuno coughed "Yes well. He used base trickery to-" 

"He threw you into a tree." Nabiki held her pointy pillbox hat. "Your majesty, I fear we cannot defeat this sorceror alone. We must find a champion to fight the force of Ranma-bart. A man who is a warrior and has magic." 

Kuno looked listfully out the window. The strains of the melody haunting his head. "We must appease the wizard so he will not destroy us…" Kuno thought of feathers in the moonlight. 

The sounds of the council drowned away, all for the two images that occupied his mind. The duck that got away, and the boy in the woods. Even vengeance didn't need as much. Nabiki was a fine grand vizier and would figure it all out. He sighed. 

"So it's all settled. We shall find the greatest champion in the land and marry his sister then make him a duke in your court. I got the digits of some really great candidates. Dilandau of Gaea, Duke Trowa, Oooh maybe I can call Sheik Rabera. He has lots of sisters." Kuno was brought crashing to reality 

"Marriage?" 

"Come on. Who wouldn't kill to have their sister married to you? You are the Prince. Besides you aren't sore on the eyes either. " 

"But marriage? I'm too young. I'm not ready. There is no woman I love" 

"Well then get ready. We need allies to get sorceror boy." "But." "Look let me handle the marriage thing. Don't worry your pretty little head. I'll make sure they only bring their hot sisters." 

"But Nabiki." 

"Look unless you know someone who can fight Ranma-bart, you have to get married at the Coronation ball," Nabiki shrugged "It's the only way we're gonna survive. We can issue the invitations and have warriors from everywhere in a few weeks?" 

"Weeks?" 

"Then you will be king, and have your bride." 

"Kuno baby. Look I'd like to see you fall head over heels. Some people get off on that. But you are the prince. This is the only way I can think of to stop this. If I could think of anything else." 

"Nabiki, How can I get married?" 

Nabiki shook her head and turned away. "My father was your father's advisor. It is my obligation to the throne to make sure our king is happy and safe." 

"It's all so much. Perchance I need to take in the night air." Kuno said. 

"Don't get yourself killed. You are a prime piece of matchmaking real estate. N'est pas? It's too bad I couldn't find you the right one, or you couldn't. But remember this is for the good of the peeps, you know." 

"Yes Nabiki." 

%%%%%%%%%%%

TBC __

Post script Princess Kodachi comes into the room. "There is only one solution" Princess Kodachi stands up "I must sacrifice myself to the Fowl Sorceror. That way my brother will" 

"That never happens in this story." "I will give myself to the cruel fiend. And maybe change his heart.

"But Kodachi."

"Come on this is a faery tale." Kodachi whined "Shouldn't I have to-" 

"Look Kodachi try to keep in the storyline of the ballet." 

"Maybe I'll turn him to an honest and beautiful-" 

Draq-sama comes into the room "This is not Beauty and the beast. Ranma has to be evil it's Kuno's perspective." 

Kodachi whistles "Sasuke. Get me my kidnapped and ravaged by Ranma outfit." 

"Yes Madam. The one with leather of the one made out of sackcloth." "Leather" 

"Listen to me Kodachi…" Draq grabs a magic microphone ala Rumiko Takakashi. Nabiki pats Draq-sama. "Okay but poor Gosunkugi." 

"Poor Gosunkugi?" 

"The poor boy has the hots for you. Just yesterday you should have heard him…" 

"Gosunkugi loves me?" 

"Yeah he's always taking pictures of you." "He takes pictures of everything." 

"Gosunkugi. Why I… I… I shall ask him myself?" Kodachi runs down the hall. 

"That was mean Nabiki." "Hey it's not like he can do anything about it. He's a statue. Besides Ranma has to remain evil." 

"Oh… but it's still mean. Can you imagine what their children would be like." 

"Sometimes I scare myself." Nabiki shrugs, "But then I remember I don't feel emotions like you or Akane." 


	2. Later that Day....

warning: WAffy, OOC Ranma
    (Kuno: The Foul Saotome did seem himself to me.
    Draq: Quiet you are no more nookie with Mu-chan.)
    OOC Kodacchi, (Kodacchi falls in love with a rock though)
    disclaimer: I don't have Takakashi worried. Though Tchaichovsky did
    die. He would have died again had he read this fic. Who would pay
    for this?
    * The beakoning cat is a famous symbol in Japan. He holds up his paw
    to let in good fortune.
    Kuno wandered outside to his koi pond and stared at the fish leaping
    into the air catching the fireflies and gnats along the pond.
    "Married?" He repeated to himself. A little drained. He had lost
    everything that was familiar and safe in his life.
    His walk took him to the edge of the woods.
    When he saw him.The boy with the glasses. Never had he seen such
    loveliness in any other person. This bespectacled bishounen prince.
    "Come into the woods." Mousse said softly. His white hand waving,
    beaconing like a little black and silver cat.
    "Mousse."
    "Hello Kuno." Mousse smiled.
    "What art thou doing anon? I thought you fled my company that
    morning forever. You returned."
    "It is as far as I dare to go." Mousse said sadly. For some reason
    he always seemed so sad.
    "Are you happy here Prince Kuno? Are you where you want to be?"
    "Well I got to the castle. Nabiki and Kodachi were really worried
    about Ranmabart, they think I need to get allies."
    Mousse stared in curiosity, though Kuno didn't think him stupid, he
    seemed very naieve to the ways of the world.
    "And soon I must marry."
    Mousse let go "Marry?"
    "Not that I want to. I must take a bride to cement my alliances. I
    only have a few weeks to choose one."
    "Marriage is a vile thing. It has ruined many lives."
    "Oh Mousse do not let yourself worry about me. Where I must be, I
    shall be. Am I not the prince?"
    "Tonight then, Kuno. Will you not be the prince, but just a boy,
    like me. We can be in the woods together."
    "I would like that more then anything."
    "I'll slow down this time." Mousse said.
    The prince decided not to go to deep into the woods.
    They walked side by side. Mousse delicately moving as if he could
    float through the branches. Kuno was having a harder time, but since
    he was with Mousse, the hike was worth it.
    Kuno brushed aside the spider webs.
    "I wonder what you have done to anger the spider brothers."
    "Spiders?"
    "Well they keep trying to stop you from following me. I think they
    are jealous, or avenging one of their bretheren."
    "Spiders get jealous?"
    "Well they have a tendency to be arrogant. Have you ever heard the
    spider. 'No steel, no mud, no clay, no metal is as strong as our
    webs, silk is dry and weak. The Spiders are the best, webs are the
    best. And we'll trap you if you deny it.'"
    "You can speak to the spiders?"
    "Yes. Well you have to humor them." Mousse whispered to the
    web "Master Weaver, this human agrees. He knows your web is thick
    and strong. But he knows he doesn't taste any good. So how about
    you let us pass?"
    Without a second passing the webs fell.
    Kuno blinked.
    "Thank you brother."
    They came upon a place in the wood.
    Mousse looked aside.
    "Shampoo wll curse me for even seeing you. You are invader in her
    realm."
    "Invader. No. I made no intention to conquer. There is nothing out
    here but-"
    "Yet you hunt the white duck.. You hired your huntsman to kill him."
    "But clearly there is no crime in it. Why is Shampoo so angry?"
    "You would hunt your brother like this? To hunt them down with slave
    dogs, and arrows, and magic. Just so you can kill him and deprive
    him of his glasses."
    Mousse stood up to him very close. His teal eyes were flashing
    boldly. Normally a man would not even look on a prince. But Mousse
    was glaring him down.
    "But I-"
    "Just because he is an animal." Never had he saw a person so enflamed
    by righteous anger. He was beautifulangry. Strong and powerful.
    Never had he imagined that his beautiful bishounen could be so strong.
    "NO."
    Mousse sighed. Immediately his fear melted into pity. How could
    Mousse pity him. He felt more ashamed than he ever had in his life.
    He would rather feel Mousse's scorn then his pity.
    "It will never work, Kuno. I came to see if you were alright and
    then leave you.."
    "Is that all you really came here for?" Kuno reached towards him.
    "Well." Mousse looked into his eyes. He broke his stare. "Yes. I
    could never consort with anyone who hunts his own animal brother."
    Kuno saw no other alternative. He took his crossbow. It gleamed in
    the moonlight. Mousse nearly shivered at the beauty of the grim
    device. The Kuno smashed it in half over the tree. Mousse startled
    at the noise of snapping wood.
    "If the choice between the hunting and you."
    Kuno held his hand and knelt
    "Mousse, I swear to you on my honor as a prince. I did not seek to
    kill that white duck at first. And now I never shall. It should fly
    free and as beautiful as when I first saw it."
    Mousse stared at the pieces of the broken crossbow. "Do you mean
    this?"
    "Yes. The duck shall fly free and you shall be..."
    Mousse's face darkened. He let go of Kuno's hand.Even after this
    gesture. Yet it seemed his gesture, only made it more painful for
    the boy, not less.
    "But even birds have their territories their domains. A duck does
    not fly with any more freedom than a prince. What if you should never
    see it again?"
    "I must. He was so beautiful, and I fear that he has stolen my fancy.
    Mousse stared at him
    "I must follow it. I must see it again. I have no idea why. but
    when i saw it, it gave me such a feeling of peace and beauty. I have
    never felt."
    Kuno touched Mousse's hand, softly. "In the day that is."
    Mousse smiled at him.
    Kuno cursed himself. Why couldn't night last forever?
    ***
    Kodachi saw her brother was so nervous about getting married,
    and seeing as she was so deeply in love with her beloved the shy
    stone faced one. She saw fit to comfort him.
    "Now brother do not despair about your fate. You'll find a good
    wife. For Vizier Nabiki has chosen the best candidates in the world."
    Kodachi smiled.
    "What was that, Gosunkugi?" she listened to the statue. Her newest
    beloved, the statue of the fallen huntsman Gosunkugi.
    "A picnic. How lovely? Kuno, Nabiki how about we go for a picnic by
    the lake?"
    "Great it'll help us relax, make our plans clearly." Nabiki
    stretched. "Besides be good PR for our prince."
    "I care not to waste my time around the peasantry and riff raff."
    "Yeah well tough. A prince has to deal with morons twenty-four
    seven. According to our straw poll you only have a thirteen percent
    approval rating, at that's amoung the elderly. So you've got to make
    yourself more likable."
    "I'm not likable at all."
    "So any amount of likablity would be an improvement.
    Many people had assembled by the lake for various picnics. It was
    good weather and the sun shined down upon them.
    The prince and his party came and most of the picnickers went to the
    other side of the lake, but Nabiki bribed some of them to stay.
    There were as always the occasional autograph hounds. But Kuno
    scared them off with an indignant snort and his first rant. The
    Princess and her stone paramor however signed everyone's autographs
    and Kodachi tried to convince Gosunkugi to do his magic tricks, but
    he declined.
    Kuno sat looking at the sky. he did so hate the responsibilities of
    state, sometimes.
    "Come Kuno. I have the bread. Let's go feed the ducks." Kodachi
    said, dragging along Gosunkugi behind her. He was so light compared
    to Tsubasa and Ryouga.
    "Excuse me?" The prince demanded.
    "Well ducks know that noble ladies come here with bread and fish and
    all manner of delicacies. They always stop here on the way.
    "They are so cute." Nabiki said "Perfect photo opportunity."
    "Bah WHy would I want to feed anything. I will grow fat and weak and-
    "
    "Look Kuno-baby, toss some bread into the water pose for a few clicky
    clicks, and go back to brooding."
    Nabiki and Kodachi we're distressed at the Prince's lack of fun. Even
    the statue of Gosunkugi held a loaf of bread even if he couldn't
    throw it.
    "Come you ducks."
    The ducks looked at the princess and swam towards her.
    When Kuno beheld in the water, something he had chosen to forget.
    Something he had sworn to never hunt again.
    A white duck. The white duck.
    The brown ducks scrambled as the prince's group of picnickers threw
    bread towards them. The ducks ran and mobbed and fell over
    themselves.
    The white duck paddled in the water behind them. If he didn't know
    any better, looking with frustration. He could almost see the white
    duck like a prince, scolding his companions for being so greedy and
    acting so foolish. As if he didn't enjoy picnics either.
    "Ooh look at that white one Kuno. He's not even coming towards us."
    "He's probably just waiting until the others leave." Nabiki
    nodded "Smart Duck."
    Kuno sat silent, trapped in the pools of the duck's teal green eyes.
    "I want to give that one a sardine. Do we have any left?"
    "A whole sardine?" Nabiki asked.
    "Nonsense this is a royal duck, and it is only fit it should be fed
    by a royal hand." Kuno nodded. Kodachi cackled her pyschotic little
    chuckle.
    The white duck paddled towards Kodachi. The princess would have
    sworn the duck bowed. He snatched up the sardine and swallowed it.
    Regarded the princess and swam away.
    "Only one. Such a gentleman." Kodachi smiled.
    Kuno sat smiling at the scene.
    "You see I told you this was fun." Kodachi hugged her brother.
    "Yes I am enjoying this."
    That night the Prince wandered to the edge of the woods. Perhaps
    Mousse would be there again, now that he promised to never hunt
    again, it was no small sacrifice, but worht it to bring the boy back.
    Mousse approached. This night he looked a little green and sweaty.
    Kuno put his hand on his back
    "Oh dear Mousse are you ill?"
    "There is no need to worry yourself, Kuno."
    Kuno pet his head."Nonsense. I care about you Mousse."
    "It's usually sardines. I have a delicate stomach I suppose."
    "Sardines?"
    Kuno thought of the slim white throat and the flashing yellow bill
    devouring the sardine from Kodachi's royal hand.
    "It's the same way with bread. When I was a young I learned to avoid
    it. It is fun getting it though. Diving spinning flapping. I
    always had a lot of fun trying to do it."
    Kuno stared "You were of a poor household, if you had to fight for
    bread."
    "I don't know. We're all very happy. It's hard for us not to be
    happy. They think I'm strange one sometimes."
    "Have you ever seen the ducks on the pond? When they come to the
    shore and the picnickers feed them." Mousse asked casually.
    "Yes. My sister does many times."
    "Hmm. It is nice, as long as one doesn't take it so seriously. We
    both come for fun. The ducks aren't really hungry who live there.
    They are just curious and want something a little different and
    tastier. And they like to see the humans babble trying to talk to
    them and appealing to the soft hearts and finding the sweetest bread
    and squabbling over it. And the humans, the humans for those slim
    moments of joy aren't really being condescending trying to stoop down
    and feed them. They are curious, because the feathered kind fears
    them, and they don't like that. They like this gesture of kindness
    and they like watching us. It's not a bad thing. It's fun."
    "Do you like to feed ducks too then?"
    Mousse laughed strangely.
    "Come on. The night waits for us. I'm feeling better."
    "Mousse, your life is so full of secrets. Why must you stay in the
    woods? Why do you fear the road?"
    "They are things I cannot tell you. You would never understand. That
    would frighten you."
    "What why you can talk to spiders. I am sure t'is no horrid curse."
    Kuno spent a time in the woods.
    He saw the carnage of the hunt. How bored noblemen came with wide
    caravans and cut down trees for their hunting camps. How they picked
    their prey so callously and slaughtered in with the cruelest
    weapons. How the falcons were hooded, and how some dogs were starved
    to the brink of madness.
    He wondered if Ryouga had been the true exception in the
    world. For he was very kind to dogs. Mousse sighed "They are as
    much slaves of man as I am. I feel sorry for them."
    Kuno felt his heart sink at the sight of all this karnage. Never had
    he imagined such things. No wonder this gentle boy thought that
    hunters were the worst of vile barbarians.
    "I tell you wy I fear and love the road. The road is a good thing in
    a way. It takes the hunters away. Those who stay aren't so bad.
    There is Ukyo who makes cakes for Shampoo and puts salt rocks around
    her house so she can't watch the does teach their fawns to eat.
    There is an old woman who finds acorns and honey and mixes brews in a
    pot."
    "The road takes away all who don't belong. The hunters they that
    kill for no reason."
    "It is a wonder you forrest folk don't try to conquer us."
    Kuno was given a new perspective to his duty. He was shown the
    peasant catching his first rabbit in a trap, making the fur into a
    pair of gloves and a hat. The peasants fishing for their dinner with
    hooks and rods. Humans were silly and weak. But their ingenuity
    made up for it. Their tools made up for their lack of strength, like
    the claws and horns of their own.
    Kuno was shocked by what else he saw, as he followed Mousse.Seeing
    that leisure only brought greed.
    All the while did Kuno listen and watch the things that the beautiful
    bespectacled bishounen did. Despite the pain and misery around him
    or perhaps because of it. He fought the hunters with grace and good
    humor.
    Kuno had never known such a wonderful person. Every moment with
    Mousse felt as natural and beautiful as a heartbeat.
    "Mousse. You still have not answered me. You have changed my heart.
    You've opened up mine eyes. But why will you not tell me why you are
    so sad. Why do you fear the dawn."
    "Why can't we just enjoy this? Some short night. Some simple act of
    joy. It is like feeding the ducks. It is a beautiful thing, that
    one swift joy, that moment of sweetness: devoured, shared and then
    passing to memory."
    "But they must separate. The duck must fly off with his flock, the
    Prince return to his castle. It is a joy that is hollow. If I felt
    nothing about you, if you only made me happy, Mousse, I could leave
    you. I could watch you run away, I could let you keep your pain from
    me. But you mean more. I want to rid you of your pain, this sadness
    that fills your eyes."
    "Oh Kuno. I cannot. I could not. I-" Mousse tried to break
    away. "It is something I cannot do. My life isn't mine. Through all
    of this."
    Kuno grabbed him by the wrist. Mousse felt the frail control of his
    body shatter. He embraced Kuno. The prince sank into his arms.
    Their was no more protest. There could be no denying this. This
    union in the woods of hearts and minds. That one spark of warmth in
    the cool world.
    "Kuno."
    Kuno stared up. The silence lasted for a century and was over in a
    heartbeat.
    "Mousse."
    The air became warm and soft around them.
    Kuno rested his head into Mousse's body.
    Mousse clutched him to his breast. Kuno felt his own tears before he
    heard Mousse's.
    The clouds rumbled with a cough of disapproval.
    "Kuno you must go."
    "No. Mousse I won't." Kuno cluthced ever tighter to him. SInkign
    deeper into the embrace.
    "It will hurt you less to drive you off than let him get you. Go or
    you will never see me again, for all eternity."
    "But."
    "Go Kuno. Be happy." Mousse looked behind his shoulder and grabbed
    his hand on last time.
    "Mousse. Promise me you'll see me again." Kuno shouted.
    "I-"
    He looked into Kuno's eyes.
    "Yes Kuno. I'll seek you again."
    "Then we shall depart." Never had such a triumph been executed. This
    was better then winning a thousand battles, or conquering a thousand
    lands. That mousse would seek him again. He smiled. "Till we meet
    again."
    Kuno ran into the woods. Mousse hoped he would escape the woods
    before he came.
    ***
    The boy sat in the woods waiting. "You're plaything left very early."
    A voice sounded in his ear.
    Mousse sat quietly. "Hello Master Ranma-bart."
    "I wanted to get a better look at him." Ranma said.
    "You still watch me in that silly pool?"
    "Shampoo has her ways to protect you. I have mine." The wizard
    spread out his cape over the log. He sat down.
    "In poor taste sneaking him around the woods. He is beneath your
    contempt."
    "He is not." Mousse snapped. Ranmabart would have been able to tell
    how dear Kuno was to him.
    "You should find someone more fit for your company Prince Mousse."
    "Is that an order?" Mousse smirked.
    "You grow lonely Mousse. You feel the pain of this life. I have my
    pets and my plans. And you. You are still young."
    Mousse sat staring at the air. Too angry to look at his master and
    tormentor without incriminating Prince kuno.
    "If you were free, you would have your choice of any companion you
    so desired."
    "Implying I would choose you, Ranma-bart." Mousse smiled a bittter
    sarcastic grin.
    "What makes you so cynical?"
    "You desire all." Mousse said. "Regardless of anything."
    "I desire all that I have the good taste to appreciate. Mousse you
    are beautiful."
    "I almost want you as much as I want your fair sister."
    "She's not mine to give." Mousse barked out some of his words.
    "What price I wouldn't pay to have you submit to me Mousse."
    Ranma pressed himself behind Mousse. he felt a wriggling mass
    against him.
    Mousse floored Ranmabart with a punch.
    But as the evil wizard sat back up. Mousse noticed that there was a
    wriggling pouch on his belt.
    "Is that a mouse in your pouch?" Mousse realized, no less horrifed
    horrified. It was the girl from the woods.
    "Well I've never heard it called that before," Ranma winked.
    Mousse shoved him back to the ground.
    "Am I as beautiful as that poor creature you have trapped in there?"
    "Her? Oh I forgot about her. Well that will teach her to turn down
    a date with Ranmabart." the wizard spun his pouch. Mousse gasped.
    The poor thing must be so dizzy by now.
    "You can't let her suffer so." Mousse admonished.
    "I can." Ranma smiled.
    Mousse turned away. Ranma clutched him by the shoulder.
    "Do you want her? You've seen how cute she is."
    "I want to free her." Mousse said pitying the poor girl.
    "Then go ahead. A gift to you beautiful Mousse. A token of love."
    Ranmabart handed him the pouch.
    Mousse took out the little frightened Ukyo-mouse. He placed Ranma's
    feathery cloak over her.
    Mousse stood and clapped his hands.
    A soft bolt of light illuminated the forest. over the spot. The pale
    shadow of a white mouse began to glow. Show the shadow shape grew to
    that of a woman.
    "Go home Ukyo."
    The girl changed back into her real body. She looked at her hands.
    "I thought I'd never-" she touched her face.
    "It's okay now. Go home."
    "What happened?"
    A boy patted her on the shoulder on Ranmabart's cape. "Shampoo will
    protect you now."
    "Um. What am I doing here?"
    Ranmabart snapped his fingers as the maiden walked away.
    "I'm going to miss that cape. That was my favorite cape."
    Mousse turned to leave.
    "Proving you are truly a great magician. There are only two I can
    think of who are more powerful."
    Mousse didn't want to look at Ranmabart anymore on this night.
    "Now that I have proven my love to you Mousse, Will you obey and I
    can..."
    "Dawn falls soon Ranmabart."
    "Now stop this silly game, Mousse, and obey me, give me what I want.
    Go to Shampoo and..."
    Mousse bowed and turned around.
    Ranmabart blocked Mousse's escape with a swoosh of dark wind. "Then
    suffer another day under my curse, and tomorrow you will see."
    "I'll never give in."
    "And the next day and the next day till you bow to my whim and give
    me what I desire."
    The dawn light sparkled off Mousse's glasses, and Ranmabart returned
    to his fortress.
    


	3. The Secret of the Forrest Prince


    warning: WAffy, OOC Ranma
    (though there is a severe lack of him in this part
    Ranma: Superkeen with me.)
    OOC Kodacchi, (Kodacchi falls in love with a rock though)
    ps: Hey do they get the stories off of the emails?
    disclaimer: I don't have Takakashi worried. Though Tchaichovsky did
    die. He would have died again had he read this fic. Who would pay
    for this?
    Prince Kuno rode to the edge of the lake after the picnic. He
    noticed the sorrowful and passionate colors of the sun. Now in the
    eventide, t'was so much more beautiful. In the decline and
    obliteration of the day, lay a new beauty. And yet all the sweeter to
    him, for night would fall with the presence of Mousse. Mousse would
    appear by the light of moon, pale and brilliant eyed.
    Kuno then looked out at the glittering water of the sunset. It was
    the duck. Sitting on the lake. It moved so perfect and still. He
    sighed. He was quieted. He didn't move only noticing it
    swimming in the water towards the brook.The darkness did not swallow the land
    that night. But it became fixed like a true star, fixed in the
    glittering brilliance of the duck's eye.
    Kuno began to speak his thoughts, again. "Why, but why do I only
    see this animal? And why oh why doth he remind me of Mousse? Am I
    bewitched by such thoughts? Am I mad?"
    But the duck was leaving again.
    "I shall find out the mystery of this Duck. I shall find wherein
    my obsession with it lies."
    He followed this duck. He spurred his horse along the edge of the
    lake. He lead his horse along the slim muddy banks deep into the
    forest until finally the horse would move no more.Already they were
    deep in the woods. To dark to see though the light still grasped to
    the sky.
    He walked along the murky muddy path. The only sign ahead was the
    flash of white feathers, like he when he was with Mousse, following
    the flash of white ahead. They came to the edge. To a deep grotto.
    The stone forms seemed as if they were on an alien world. The stones
    in stalagmites like grasping hands. It was like being in another
    world. The moon appeared from behind the clouds.
    All at once it seemed a song rose in the night as if the spirits of
    night were singing. The wispy breeze became light itself swirling in
    this tiny grotto. Swirling towards the center where a pool had
    collected. Soon it was no longer just a breezy wisp of light, but a
    gale, deep bright light pouring out of the forest itself collecting
    in the center of the pool, until it shined.
    A pool of light. He had not imagine a thing outside of Mousse's
    eyes. The duck dove beneath the waves in the grotto pool swirling and
    bursting with light.And in a starry swoop of darkness and star's burst from the
    surface of the water. His brilliant hair as black as night glittering stars
    everywhere it shook.
    There was nothing of him that there wasn't beauty. His naked
    porcelin white flesh. Kuno fell to his knees. Never had he seen
    beauty until this night. And now he was forever bound to this image
    of the divine taking the form of a human.
    Mousse crawled out of the pool on his hands and knees. "Where in
    the heck are my glasses? I can't see." The boy pawed around in
    the darkness searching for that familiar shape.
    The temptation proved too great even for Kuno. How could he as a
    gentleman not reveal himself and help him find his glasses. It would
    be ungentlemanly not to help. Kuno walked to the edge of the pool and
    scooped up Mousse's glasses
    He knelt next to the groping crawling figure, squinting and helpless.
    "Yours?"
    "Thank you Kuno." Mousse smiled.
    "Ever yours my darling."
    Mousse looked up. His head freezing in the grim realization."Kuno?"
    He placed on his glasses. Only to prove what he knew "Kuno! Baka no hentai."
    Kuno did feel the open and soft fist of his fair beloved against his
    face, over and over, such delicate fingers producing the loudest
    noises, louder even then his beating heart.
    ****
    Kuno grasped his boiling red cheek.
    Mousse was covered and hiding his form in the bushes.
    "Mousse." The prince approached. "Mousse What enchantment
    is this that so fills my heart? What wonder? What beauty?"
    It was amazing how fast the blush grew on his cheek.
    "Tell me, Mousse. What has transpired? Are you the same radiant
    vision of before? Or do you bewilder me with such sights? What
    magic is this?"
    "It is a curse."
    "Never a curse. Such nonsense. That you can change your form
    thus-"
    "I am cursed Kuno. In a way no man should know. Such
    unspeakable…."
    "Nothing you are is cursed. Every aspect of your being is none
    but blessed to me."
    "You're just saying…"
    Kuno clutched his hand.
    "Tell me how such a wonder is born. Tell me your story."
    "Look into my eyes. And all will be revealed." Mousse
    removed his glasses.
    Kuno was trapped noticing their deep strange green unholy color. As
    deep as the unseen greens of a forest glade at night. An unspeakable
    color of the imagination.
    Kuno could hear Mousse's voice still. But instead of seeing only
    him, he saw into his life.
    Kuno saw the image of a pair of twins, beautiful, one as dark as the
    moon, one violet and soft like the dawn
    "I once was human like you, but my parents were not. We were born
    as twins as a curse. One should live forever as queen and guardian of
    the wood and one as a mortal prince."
    Kuno saw a young huntsman of an ancient time with blue eyes and a
    long pigtail., searching the trees for something. Prince Kuno could
    not recognize him.
    _"In those days there was a mortal, whose name I won't speak
    but you know. He wanted to marry the spirit of the Woods my sister,
    Shampoo. He loved her or so he thought. She spurned him."_
    Kuno gasped "Ranmabart."
    Kuno saw Ranmabart as he appeared now. A black sorceror raining fire
    on the wood.
    "He grew to be a very powerful magician. His resentment and
    arrogance grew. He convinced all his minions to destroy my
    sister's home, to cut down her forest, to lay waste until she relented."
    Mousse sighed.
    _"So I tried to fight Ranmabart. I challenged him to a
    gentleman's duel. I was destined to die. I might as well save my honor. He
    invited me to his castle. So he could not drug me, I ate nothing,
    did not sleep. I drank some water. Which was my mistake."_
    _"Ranmabart is a cunning foe. He deadened my magic and I lost. I
    prayed for a swift death."_
    _"But Ranmabart is not an honorable man. He took me as his
    captive as his hostage to win my sister's heart. But she has no heart.
    She only knows how to protect her home. Even I held no soft spot for
    her. When he said I was his hostage she only laughed."_
    Kuno could see the Spirit.
    _`Silly Man. Mousse is only mans. Mans die. Shampoo no die.
    Shampoo is happy.'_
    _In his rage. He turned me into a white duck, to turn my sister's
    mind._
    Mousse turned away. His eyes finished his tale. His mouth moved as
    a tear streamed from his eye
    "I must spend my days as a white duck. My nights are spent in
    this form, you see here. As long as he lives and she denies him, he has
    sworn I shall suffer this. There is no way I can think of in magic.
    I have studied for 200 years. Unless… You will find this
    silly."
    Kuno looked intently at Mousse waiting to hear something. Mousse as
    usual shook his head and turned away. "I don't know how it
    will help telling you. You can't do anything about it."
    "There is always hope Mousse."
    "But it's silly. No woman would brave the trials to fetch
    me. No one would. Not when Ranma's form is so beautiful. The women who
    come here fall into his spell. Some of the boys too. He is
    beautiful to all."
    "You need someone to rescue you?" Kuno said hand upon his
    pommel without a second thought. "I would kill Ranmabart for this. I
    would fight the world to rescue you."
    But instead Mousse almost smiled at this declaration
    "That would be easy. Locks and chains may be broken, but not
    such spells. If I would only need to escape I would have been free a
    thousand generations ago. No it is far more silly."
    Kuno looked at him "Name it and I shall do it Mousse."
    "Never say such things."
    "What will free you?"
    "Someone must love me."
    There was no silence, only a thundering thick heart beat: A thousand
    heartbeats at once, in the space between them, like a new universe.
    "Oh Mousse."
    Mousse recoiled shocked to here such a thing spoken and such a loud
    heartbeat. What could this strange boy fear so much?
    Kuno grasped his offered hand. "That is never a silly trifle.
    Love does move the very Earth, love will defeat any force upon this
    earth."
    "Even his evil?" Mousse lowered his head in such a soft and
    mournful gesture. "How can I believe this? I had hoped so many
    times… but no woman would want me."
    "Then how about a prince?"
    Kuno embraced him.
    "What?" Mousse felt the prince with his arms about him.
    He looked deep into Love's eyes. And he spoke the universe, his
    everything, his life. "Mousse."
    Mousse looked into him and responded with the only thing he could
    say. His salvation, his hope, his life "Kuno."
    "I can set you free."
    "But Ranmabart will kill you."
    "You can't be in here. My heart would crack. You must be
    free Mousse." The silence in their hearts was forever gone. They had each other.
    All at once the forest quaked, but the embrace was stronger than the
    strongest Earthquake
    "Mousse. I will set you free because I-"
    The trees bowed at the approaching fury.
    A black owl descended upon them.
    "No." Mousse cried out.
    The owl opened his mouth. "So my Mousse. You betray me with this
    mortal prince. Oh you are a bad little duck."
    Mousse fell to his knees with his forehead to the ground. "Please
    Master. Don't hurt him."
    "Hmmm. Well. The alarms I placed on you work well." Ranmabart
    flapped his lazy wings in circles.
    The owl swelled to the size of a man and swept his cape around Mousse.
    "Away we will fly. No mortal shall deprive me of my fair hostage.
    Away to my fortress."
    Mousse didn't struggle. He was swept up into his cape.
    "Kuno, Goodbye. I love you."
    Kuno's eyes flashed."Mousse?"
    Ranmabart's laugh filled the air with a sound of dread and evil.
    But the only sound Kuno could here was the faint whisper of the Duck
    Prince.
    


End file.
